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Age Studies
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Age Studies
A Sociological Examination of How We Age and are Aged through the Life Course

First Edition


November 2016 | 312 pages | SAGE Publications Ltd

"With great rigour, yet an enviable lightness of touch, Susan Pickard has written an engaging and accessible book that students will love."
- Rosaline Gill, City University London

"A scholarly tour de force that brings into focus the various disciplines, histories, literatures and knowledges that have transformed us into modern subjects of age."
- Stephen Katz, Trent University

Age Studies takes an invigorating approach to the study of age and ageing in contemporary society. Encompassing ageing throughout the life course, taking in childhood, adolescence, mid-life and older age, and situated explicitly within a sociological disciplinary framework, Age Studies:

  • Explores current social science debates on the study of ageing linking these to core sociological concepts.
  • Links theory and application, using a variety of examples and international case studies
  • Includes chapter summaries, further reading and guided questions. 

A thought-provoking companion to advanced undergraduates and postgraduate student studying ageing, older people, social gerontology and related courses.


 
Chapter 1: Age Studies: What is it and why do we need it?
 
Chapter Two: Class stratification and age
 
Chapter Three: Gender Studies as a Paradigm for Age Studies
 
Chapter Four: Constructing and deconstructing ages and stages of the life course
 
Chapter Five: Identity and age
 
Chapter Six: Age and Embodiment
 
Chapter Seven: Sexuality through the life course
 
Chapter Eight: Health, illness and normality through the life course
 
Chapter Nine: Representing Ages and Stages
 
Chapter Ten: Ages and Generations in interaction
 
Chapter Eleven: Telling our own stories: Developing age consciousness and authentic age identities
 
Chapter Twelve: Concluding Thoughts
 
References

Susan Pickard is breathing life of cultural studies in aging studies which is to be applauded. It is an excellent, thought provoking and timely text.

Jason Powell
University of Chester

Powerful use of text and images to engage students with key concepts and aims of the book.

Irene Hardill
Northumbria University

Susan Pickard’s Age Studies is a scholarly tour de force that brings into focus the various disciplines, histories, literatures and knowledges that have transformed us into modern subjects of age.  Each chapter is an exciting discovery of the paths by which the social has coursed through our lives in the most intricate and intimate ways.

Stephen Katz
Trent University

This is a wonderful book which enriches the growing field of cultural studies of ageing, and brings to it a fresh, intersectional focus, and plenty of vivid contemporary examples. With great rigour, yet an enviable lightness of touch, Susan Pickard has written an engaging and accessible book that students will love.

Rosalind Gill
City University London

Susan Pickard’s approach to age studies is comprehensive and compelling, writing about concepts of class and gender, the body and culture. This is no dry account of ageing. Each chapter includes questions for the reader to consider, and chapter summaries make the book accessible to students. Pickard has a beautifully clear writing style. She introduces us to the Hag, to media images, her own experiences, and how we can tell our own stories about ageing. Pickard’s book is an invaluable addition to the shelf of any researcher or student of sociology and related fields.

Samantha Holland
Leeds Beckett University

The book is well written but is probably more suited to a University course. I will use the information to cascade and supplement my teaching on Unit 4. (Development Through the Life Stages) The "talking points", provided at the end of each chapter serve as a basis for group discussions.

Mrs JULIE Mallinder-Smith
School of Social Science, Blackburn College
November 14, 2016

This is an accessible textbook for undergraduates. It gives a good review of sociological issues, and the questions and talking points at the end of each chapter are useful for stimulating debate. A good resource, especially for third years, with an interest in ageing issues.

Dr Mark Hickman
School of Sport, Tourism and The Outdoors, University of Central Lancashire
November 1, 2016

I really enjoyed reading this book and immediately thought it would be an excellent resource for my Level 3 students

Mrs Shona Floyd
Health & Social Care, Peterborough Regional College
June 8, 2016

This has been recommended as essential reading because it has some great discussions on lifecourse and class. Especially the midlife and gender.

Dr Bethany Simmonds
Social, Historical & Literary Studies, Portsmouth University
August 22, 2016

Sage College Publishing

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